Valve for pneumatic tires



Dec. 10, 1929. p M SALERN! 1,738,927

VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES Filed Deo. 22, l192e 3 Sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 10, 1929. P, M, sALERNl 1,738,927

VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES Filed DSG. 22, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 H L -*w W ,mmw J." .4f-Q

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Dem. l0, i929., p M SALERNI 1,738,927

VALVE FOR PNEUMATIG TIRES Filed Deo. 22, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE rrnno MARIANo sALEnNI, or ROUTE DE VILLEFRANGE, NICE, FRANCE, AssIeNon 'ro MARIE-THRsE ELISABETH SALERNI, or NICE, rnANtmA 'VALVE FOR IPNEUMATIC TIRES Application tiled December 22, 1926, Serial No. 156,312, and in securing nut so that the valve secured to the lll RUP

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inner tube is immovably held to the rim. It there be a tendency for the inner tube to vvhich the valve is axed, to creep'circumferentially or to move relatively to the rim there vvould be-a'lilrelihood of the connection of the valve to the inner tube being detrimentally attected vvith the result that the inner tube may be torn avvay from the fixed valve,4 thus causing a burst in the-tire vvhich may have serious consequences. l

'llhe chiel? object of the present invention 1s to so arrange the valve and the parts associated therevvith that bursting of the tire due to creeping ot the inner tube or to the tendency ot the inner tube to creep or move relatively to the rim is prevented. A further object ot the present invention is to provide an improved construction of tire valve which maintains an ehicient alrtlght closure ot the inner tube not only under ordinary conditions but under conditions when creeping or relative movement ot theinner tube takes place so that there is little likelihood of leakage at the valve under any conditions, which in itn eelt is a sate-guard as creeping is in most cases the result ot under indation due to a leak at the valve,

According to this invention the tire valve or sealing device (or the essential parts thereot) is located at a position on the outer side or periphery ont the vvheel riln i. e. at a position 1 on or radially beyond the outer peripheral surface or the rim and whilst normally housed in or associated vvith the latter no positive connection is provided betvveen the rim and the valve so that the latter is not held against movement but is tree to move with the inner tube it there should be any tendency tor creeping of the inner tube or tor relative movement betvveen the 'tube and the eel rim The said valve may be Great Britain December 2, 1926.,

tired to the inner tube so as to be disposed inside the latter and it is adapted to register or engage with a seating or opening in the Wheel rim throughwhich latter an inflating connection or the like can be introduced so as to be connected to the valve for enabling theinner tube to be inated. After the inflating connection has been removed the valve will remain in the position aforesaid so long as there. is no creeping or relative movement of the inner tube suiicient to displace the valve; The seating 'in the Wheel rim may be constituted by a tubular member which is securedin a hole in the Wheel rim and Which may be closed after inflation by means ot' a dust cap 0r the like. An adaptor may be fitted in the said tubular member and for in- Hating purposes it can be screwed into the valve attached to the inner tube and can afterwards 'be disconnected and still held Within the tubular member so as to be covered by the dust cap, thus leaving the valve tree although located in the seating constituted by the aforesaid tubular member. The engagement of the valve with its seating is such that if' the inner tube should creep or move relatively to the rim and exert a pull on the valve the latter can thereby be readily moved out of engagement vvith the said seating so that there is no likelihood oit the inner tube adjacent to the valve being stretched to any extent which vvould be likely to produce lealtage around the valve. lin tires Where a band or strip ont fabricis placedbetvveen the inner tube and the rim, the said band or strip may be provided with a hole having a metal or other rigid edging vvhich isdisposed around the said valve seating on the rim. 'lhe said seating may have a bevelled surface which in the event ot the fabric band or strip moving relatively to the rim and the seating? enables the said metal edging to ride or slip over the seating so that the band is uite 'l'ree l to move with the inner tube vvhen t e latter adapted to engage with a Seating or disc havq ing passages or holes through which the air is supplied when the .pump connectlon 1s fitted and which do not register wlth a hole or holes in the said rubber diaphragm through which hole or holes the air passes from the said passages into the inner tube.`

When the pump connection is removed however the preponderating internal pressure within the tire causes the said diaphragm-bke part to be pressed against its seating or disc which is provided with ridges that become embedded in the rubber and form an eiiclent closure between the holes in the seating or disc and the hole or holes in the diaphragmlike portion, thus preventing the escape of air from the tire and maintaining the inflation pressure under al1 conditions.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understod and readily carried into effect, the same will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is atransverse sectional View of a wheel rim with the bead ortions of a straight sided tire and part of t e inner tube in position, showing one construction of the im-` proved tire valve in elevation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the improved valve taken at right angles to the view shown 30y in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the improved valve.

Figure 4 is a view showing how the tire cover and the inner tube with the improved valve are fitted on the wheel rim.

Figure 5 is a view showing an inflating pump (illustrated by dotted lines) connected to the valve.

Figure 6 is a circumferential sectional view showing a position the valve may assume due to creeping or movement of the inner tube relatively to the rim.

Figure 7 illustrates the separate parts assoc iated wit-h the valve that are fitted to the r1m.

Figure 8 illustrates the separate parts of or associated with the valve that are attached to and carried by the inner tube.

Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged detail views.

Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are views showing one way of attaching` the valve to the inner tube, and a device or tool for use in connection therewith.

In. the said drawings A represents the wheel rimwhich may be of any usual or suitable construction. B indicates the pneumatic tire cover. C represents the inner tube. D indicates a fabric bandor strip which is generally used in conjunction with a rim and tire of the type illustrated and which is placed around the rim so as to lie between the inner tube and the beads of the outer cover as illusin the inner tube so as to be located entirely .like portion having a hole E therein centrallv disposed with regard to a seating or disc F (see Figures 2, 4 and 8) of metal, hard rubber or otherhard or rigid material which is entirely covered by the said rubber cap or cover E as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The said disk F is provided with an externally and internally threaded stem F and it is formed with a central passage or bore F2 and with inclined lateral or branch passages F 3 that terminate in holes G near the periphery of the disc F and establish communication with a space or chamber H between the rubber cap or diaphragm E and the surface ofthev disc F which surface is provided with raised annular projections or ridges F" as shown. The said rubber cap or diaphragm E normally does not make contact with the -ridged surface of the discv as shown in Figures 4 and 5 but it can do so under the influence of the air pressure within the inner tube as hereinafter described. The said chamber or space H is in communication with the interior of the inner tube B through the hole E in the said rubber cap or diaphragm, which hole is the air inlet into the inner tube and is adapted to be closed by the rubber cap or diaphragm E being pressed bythe internal air pressure Within the inner tube onto the ridged surface of the disc, so that the ridges F4 become embedded in the rubber and produce an eiiicient airtight closure. The stem F of the disc extends through a hole B in `the inner tube B, and the latter is clamped beween metal plates or washers I and J by a.

nut K screwed on the stem F', the. plate or washer I being hanged and adapted to fit around the turned over edge ofthe rubber cap or diaphragm E as shown. For securing the valve to the inner tube a rod J is screwed into the stem F', see Figures 12 and 13, and the valve is pushed through the hole B into the interior of the tube B; the hole B is smaller in diameter than the stem F so that the rubber around the hole tightly gri 3s the stem F. The washer J and the nut C are placed on the rod J which is then slidably fitted in a tool J 2 (see Figure 4 adapted to bear on the washer J as shown. y means of a nut J 3 or the like screwed on to the rod J as shown, the rod and the tool can be moved in opposite directions with the result that the Washers I and J are moved towards each other to grip or compress the portion of the inner tube B between them. A rotating device or Spanner K2 forming part of the said tool and surrounding the stem J is pressed into engagement with the nut K by a spring Ka and 1t can be rotated by a ratchet controlled handle K4 so to screw the nut K into a locking recess in the washer J which recess is of hexagonal or other shape conforming to that of the nut.v When the spanner is moved out of engagement with the nut K and the tool is removed from engagement with the washer il, the rubber compressed between the Washers land J causes the Washer J having the locking recess in which the nut is located to hold the nut against rotation, so that the valve is securely held on to the inner tube.

The nut l is formed with a coned boss or projection li which is adapted to bear against or to fit within a coned or similarly shaped seating or end L of a tubular member L secured to the rim. The coned seating or end L of the said member L is caused to bear against a collar or ring M formed with a bevelled outer surface by means of a nut N aving an inserted washer N screwed on to the said member L and adapted to bear against the inner surface of the rim. In the aforesaid fabric ystrip or band D disposed around the rim, is a hole which is provided with a metal edging or ring D that surrounds the aforesaid collar M so that in the event of any relative movement taking vplace between the fabric strip or band and-the collar M the metal edging D in engaging with the bevelled surface of the collar M will pass over and beyond the end of the tubular member L as hereinafter more fully described. A tubular stem or adaptor t) is adapted to be screwed into the tubular member L as shown in Figure 2, and its outwardly projecting end U which is enteriorly screw threaded can be covered by a dust cap or sleeve P that can be screwed on to a threaded extension or boss of the nut hl. The said adaptorr can be /re'adily unscrewed `and withdrawn from the tubular member L after the dust cap has been re moved and it can be reversed so as to be inserted easily within the said tubular member to permit of it being screwed into the threaded stem lll on the disc l as shown in lfigures d and 5 the end U of the adaptor being forced against a leather' or similar packing ring llt in the said stem to produce an airtight seal or closure. The leather or similar packing ring R surrounds and retains in position a gauze cover orcapSdisposed across the passage lli" in the stem l? to serve as a filter for air that is introduced into the inner tubel throughthe passages F2 and lf3 and the hole E in ther rubber cap orv diaphragm lE. `When the adaptor (l is in the position shown in Figure 5 an indating connection T can' be screwed to its end U2 so that the inner tube can be indated by a pump T having a pres sure gauge T2..

lln order to mount the tire on the rim, the inner tube slightly indated with the valve attached as shown in Figure t is first placed on the rim with the valve located in the hole in the fabric band orstrip D. The ltubular member or rim tube L and the collar M are placed centrally on the valve and the adaptor `or sleeve P is applied and screwed O is then passed through the tubular member and screwed into the stenLF of the disc F` so as to bear against the leather Washer or seating R as indicated in Figure 4. The adaptor O with the tubular member L and the collar M thereon is then passed through the hole A in the wheel rim and by applying the nutl N to the tubular member L on the inner side of the rim the inner tube is held in position to enable the fabric strip to be. placed neatly in position so as to be covered v projecting end O2 of the holes G into the space H from which it enters the inner tube through the inlet hole E in the rubber cap or diaphragm E. Having inflated the inner tube to the desired pressure which is indicated bythe gauge T2, the connectionL 'l is removed with the result that the internal air pressure which exceeds the exterior air pressure causes the rubber cap or diaphragm to be pressed against its seating constituted by the aforesaid disc F so that the rubber fits closely against the ridged surface with the ridges embedded in the rubber to cut olf posi` tively all communication between the hole E and the space H which is normally in commu/nication with the holes G leading from the passages F3 extending from the central inlet F2. ,In this way the valve is efficiently closed and the inflation pressure within the inner tube maintained.- The adaptor O is then removed and reversed to the position shown in Figure 2 whereupon the dust cap onto the nut N as shown.

ln order to test the pressure in the tire the dust cap P is removed and the adaptor isalso reversed so that its end U `bears against the leather ring R. The pump then is connected to the adaptor and by impartn ing one or two strokes to the pump the valve is opened by reason of the rubber cap or diaphragm E being forced away from its ridged seating F thus establishing communication between the interior of the inner tube and the pressure gauge which will indicate the inflation pressure. lf the pressure is insuflicient the pump can beoperated until the reading on the gauge indicates the required pressure. llf it be desired to reduce the pres sure or to dedate the tire completely the adaptor U with the connection T applied is slightly unscrewed to move the vend thereof away'from the leather ring R and by means 4of a flat surface Us (see ligure 7) on the screw thread at the end U a restricted ldd - pletely deflated by the escape of air through the passage O. j

It will be. understood from the foregoing description that no part of the valve afiixed to the inner tube nor the tube itself is posimethod of deflation-is advantageous as it ensures of attention being given to the tube in order to discover the cause of under infiation which was responsible for the creeping of the inner tube. Therefore re-inflation of a leaky inner tube is unlikely as the tire must be openedby puncturing as aforesaid before the tube can be re-inflatcd so that this Will induce even a very careless user to attend to the cause of the leak which produced the under inflation responsible for the creeping. Further the repair of a punctively secured to any part of or on the rim\ture as aforesaid would be a negligible conso that the valve and its associated parts constitutes a unit which is separate from the tubular member L and its associated parts carried by the rim. If there should be any d tendency for theinne'r tube to creep or to` vuo move relatively to the rim, the valve secured as it is to the inner tube can move away from -or out of contact with the coned end or seating L of the tubular member L,'the coned surfaces on the seating L and on the projection K of the nut K facilitatingthe separation of the two parts. As the fabric band or strip D would tend to move with the inner tube in the event of creeping taking place, it is free to partake o f this movement and the metal edging D engaging with the bevelled surface of the collar M causes the strip to pass over the end of the tubular member L so as to enable the fabric band or strip to move with the inner tube. Figure 5 illustrates a position such as may be assumed as a'result of creeping of the inner tube and the fabric band or strip D in relation to the rim 'and it will be-understoodthat the said valve and theband or strip D may take up any position on the rim as a result of creeping as there is no connection of anyv kind to prevent movement of the inner tube or the fabric band or strip. By arranging for the valve to move relatively to the rim as hereinbefore described there is no likelihood of the inner tube being torn adjacent to the valve and causing a burst tire as a result4 of creeping or relative movement. As indicated in Figure 1 the valve does not project radially beyond the edges of the rim fianges so that the latter serve to protect the valve if for any reason the Wheel should be supported on the ground with its tire deflated. The invention is applicable to pneumatic tires for various types and kinds of vehicles. In most instances creeping of the inner tube is due to under infiation Which is often caused by a leakage in' or adjacent to the valve. If as a result of such creeping of the inner tube the valve is moved away from the tubular member or seating L the tube can be defiated to enable the' tire to be removed by inserting a sharpA instrument through the tubular member in order to puncture the tube and cause complete deflation. Such a puncture can be readily repaired and this sideration having regard to the prevention of a dangerous and inevitable burst which would ordinarily happen in the cause of an inner tube with a valve positively secured to the wheel rim. In the case of aeroplane tires creeping movement of the inner tube might be due to the shock of landing and in the event of such creeping having taken place it would be necessary to puncture the tire as aforesaid for the purpose of re-infiating.

v What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a pneumatic tire, an inflation valve on the inner tube adapted to be located adjacent to an opening in the rim and an adaptor that can be inserted through the said opening in the rim and can be disconnected from the valve after infiation and carried in the said opening.

2. In a pneumatic tire, an inflation valve on the inner tube adapted to be located adjacent to an opening in the rim, a tubular member in said opening and an adaptor that can be secured tov the valve through the tubular member in the rim for inflating purposes and can be reversed after inflation so as to be secured in the said tubular member without being connected to the valve.

PIERO MARIANO SALERNI. 

